An Australian waitress who disappeared from a south London backpacker hostel two weeks ago, before sending friends a series of “out of character” text messages when they asked her where she was, has been found safe and well.
Jessica Parkinson, 29, was first reported missing by her father on Sunday, December 8, after failing to make contact with relatives on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
Greenwich MPS confirmed this afternoon that she had been found safe and well.
A spokesperson said: ‘Following a series of inquiries and support from Sussex Police, Jessica Parkinson has been found safe and well. Thank you to everyone who helped with the search.’
Police have also urged the public to be aware of a “bitcoin donation link” linked to the appeal to find Ms Parkinson.
They added: “We urge you not to donate or continue forwarding the link unless you can confirm it is official.”
On Wednesday, December 11, Ms. Parkinson failed to show up for a 4 p.m. shift at Texas Joes, the barbecue restaurant where she has worked for the past year.
When managers texted her to ask where she was, she claimed she had gotten her start time wrong and promised to be “there” at 5 p.m.
But she didn’t show up as promised and has not been heard from since she sent another colleague a “cryptic” message that same night.
She was reported missing for the second time last Friday after missing three shifts in a row.
Australian waitress Jessica Parkinson (pictured) who went missing from a hostel in south London, has now been found.
Three days later he didn’t show up for work at Texas Joes. When asked where he was, he told managers he would be “right there” at 5 pm, but never showed up.
The waitress was first reported missing by her father on December 8 after being unable to contact her relatives.
Her manager Joe described her as “trustworthy” as well as “very intelligent, outgoing and friendly.”
Restaurant owner Joe Walters told MailOnline: “Jess was due to work on Wednesday and was due to start at 4.”
‘At that point our manager sent a message asking where she was and she replied that she thought she would be in at 5 and would be right there. That was very out of character for her.
“She didn’t show up, but sent a cryptic message to another member of staff that night. She didn’t mention missing work.
“Then she didn’t show up for work on Thursday and then when she didn’t show up on Friday I contacted her father in Australia.
“She told me that the police had been alerted and that the missing persons unit was dealing with her.”
“She’s very trustworthy and we have a close relationship,” Joe added. “She is very intelligent, outgoing and friendly.”
She had recently had problems with her housing and had been evicted from a shared apartment, so she was living in a hostel.
“She wasn’t very happy with that situation, which I can imagine, so we were trying to help her find something and we hadn’t made any progress with it.” She was stressed about it at the time.
“She was going back to Australia for the holidays and said she might stay there until March to sort things out and then come back, but no one in Australia has heard from her.